About Me

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

It was the fourteenth of Ramadan (1401 AH / 1981 CE), the day was Friday and every corner of the astana ‘aliya of Siyal Sharif was overcrowded due to the sheer number of visitors. Khawaja Qamar al-Din prayed the Salat al-Jumu‘a in his mosque and said farewell to all his servants and followers with abundant prayers. On this day, he opened his fast at his home with his family contrary to his normal practice. He spent the night in Siyal Sharif. The son of Sahibzada Ghulam Nasir al-Din had been in Lahore under medical treatment. A programme was made to go to Lahore to enquire about his health. After eating the predawn meal of suhur, Khawaja Qamar al-Din paid his respects at the shrine of Shams al-‘Arifin and after offering prayers began the last journey of his life.

About a few miles from Sargodha, on the Sargodha Lahore Road is a bridge of Chack Eleven. The lifelong driver of Khawaja Qamar al-Din, Ghulam Haider – who had been driving for his murshid for forty five years – was driving the car. It was seven in the morning and the sun had risen, there was light everywhere. From in front of the Chack Eleven Bridge, Ghulam Haider saw a lorry coming towards him. The lorry was coming from the wrong direction, the careful driver just as before moved the car further left, however the lorry did not correct its direction. To this, Ghulam Haider took the car off-road. However, the lorry driver did not control his lorry. Suddenly a thunderous accident occurred that completely destroyed the car. The driver, Ghulam Haider, died on the spot offering the sacrifice of his life at the feet of his Shaykh.

Another servant, Allah Bakhsh, who was due to get married a few days after, was sitting on the back seat. He was also crowned with the crown of martyrdom. The other two companions, Haji Muhammad Nawaz – who was a close servant to Khawaja Qamar al-Din – his arm was broken and the fourth companion, Muhammad Aslam, was severely injured.

Khawaja Qamar al-Din was sitting on the front passenger seat next to the driver. After hearing the noise of this collision, people from all around gathered. Khawaja Qamar al-Din was taken out and the ankle-bone of his right leg was fractured. The blessed face and other parts of the body seemed completely fine. When he was taken out of the vehicle and sat down, a person came forward and offered water. Khawaja Qamar al-Din refused to drink and stated, “I am fasting.” Then he was laid on a bedstead and taken to Sargodha District Hospital on the back of a van.

The news of this painful tragedy spread like wild-fire in all directions. Crowds and crowds began to gather at the hospital.

We, at Bhera, were informed in the evening of this accident; however, the giver of this news also told us that Khawaja Qamar al-Din was fine and well. The next day early in the morning, I along with my relatives went to Sargodha to enquire of his state and health. At that moment, the doctors were dressing his wounds. The entire grounds of the hospital were filled with devotees and followers. Everyone’s tongues were uttering words of gratitude, for Allah (most high) had protected and saved their kind leader from this severe accident.

We were all so happy that the arrow of fate was mistaken. However, fate itself was smiling at our naivety. For two days, Khawaja Qamar al-Din remained under medical treatment at Sargodha District Hospital. When the President of Pakistan, General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq heard of this tragedy, he became restless. Every ten to fifteen minutes, he himself was phoning the hospital to find out about the state of Khawaja Qamar al-Din and he kept on emphasising to the doctors that there must be no shortfall in his medical treatment.

On the seventeenth of Ramadan, the doctors advised that for further treatment Khawaja Qamar al-Din must be taken to CMH (Combined Military Hospital) in Lahore. Eventually, he was taken there and when the doctors saw the colour of his fingernails, they became worried and said, “You have come late.” Despite the great efforts of the doctors at CMH Lahore, the decree of Allah (most high) had been fulfilled and that great personality, who spread light shining as the full moon above the horizon of life for a quarter of a century, became concealed from our eyes, left this temporary world and was honoured to present himself in the eternal court of his true Beloved. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.

Time remained preoccupied in search for such a leader in order to enlighten its night of sorrow, but, this struggle did not bear any fruit. The Muslim nation will always keep the memory of this leader close to their hearts who guided it with great courage during every type of difficulty and calamity. The circles of disciples and followers will always remain restless for a glimpse of the luminous face of their Shaykh.

The one who always loved and was affectionate towards students, who recognised the status and positions of the scholars, who fulfilled the rights of the respect and honour of the Prophetic Household, the protector of the dignity of the Prophetic Companions, the grieved lover of the beauty of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the one who would not be distanced from the remembrance of Allah (most high) for a moment, the light of the eyes of the people of the heart, the guide of the people of wisdom and intellect, the leader of the caravan of love and affection, the Shaykh of Islam and the Muslims, Khawaja Muhammad Qamar al-Din (Allah be well pleased with him); outwardly, he is hidden and concealed from our eyes, however, the lamps of his devotion and love will always shine.

The servants of the Chosen One (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were first pitted against the British rule, then were tested against the Hindus and then internal troubles seized their attention and focus. During this period, the fitna of the Ahmadiyya Movement (Mirza’iyyat, Qadiyaniyyat) fearless of any form of hindrance kept on spreading its tentacles and strengthening its foundations. They had found plenty of time to organize their resources and formalize their conspiracies. Their people had already taken positions within the civil courts and during this time they also stabilized their positions in the military; in the land, naval and air forces. This was to such an extent that an Ahmadi, Zafar Chaudhry, was successful in becoming the Chief of the Pakistan Air Force. He had developed such courage that in the month of December during their six day conference in Rabwah, he ordered the Pakistan Air Force to pay respect to his false prophet.

They had the hope that in one leap they would be able to capture the premiership of Pakistan. In order to protect the nation of His Beloved (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) from the dangerous conspiracies of these stooges of foreigners and enemies of Islam and the Muslims, Allah (most high) caused a small incident that took place at the railway station in Rabwah to be the means for this rescue. Following this incident, the movement of Khatm al-Nubuwwat (finality of prophet hood) spread to all corners of the country. This eventually led to the government being forced to declare the Ahmadis a non-Muslim minority. In this time, the brave and leading role that Shaykh al-Islam Khawaja Qamar al-Din played is evident and not in need of further explanation.

The impostures of Bhutto had impressed the imprints of socialism in the minds of the nation to such an extent that slogans of death to Islam could be heard on common roads. There was a fear that in this country which was attained by the blood of hundreds of thousands of martyrs and by the sacrifices of their prime of youth for the sake of Islam, now the system of Marx and Lenin may be enforced.

The slogans of Bhutto’s comrades were very thunderous and vociferous creating an overwhelming, subdued and fearful atmosphere. Great politicians were under the mandible of the regime. Many scholars of the gown and turban were assisting Bhutto by sowing the seeds of socialism in this home of Islam. In this atmosphere of fear and terror, dread and despair, a voice called out, “Pakistan will become the burial ground of socialism.” The entire nation was startled and friends and foes were left amazed at the courage and bravery of the one shouting this slogan. They began rubbing their eyes and were anxious to see the face of this person who caused a commotion throughout the country with his sublimely enchanting call.

Who was making this call and who was shouting this slogan? He was none other than the leader of us Sunnis, the murshid of us Chishtis, Khawaja Muhammad Qamar al-Din Siyalwi. This call acted as the horn of Israfil and the sleeping nation woke up. It was only a case of this awakening that the burst of those slogans of falsity ended and that spell was broken which had engulfed the entire nation and especially the youthful generation in a bad way. In such a fragile period, when the leadership of Jam‘iyyat ‘Ulama’i Pakistan (JUP) and the flag of Islam’s greatness came in to the hands of this determined man of truth from the family of Shams al-‘Arifin, the tables were turned and the ambitions of Bhutto and his followers were turned to dust that desired to empty this land from Islam and make it a centre for socialism.

After Pakistan came into existence, for a long time it remained in a dilemma of life and death. Those people, who were granted the responsibility of its premiership, increased the difficulties of this new state as a result of their incompetence or their criminal defalcation. However, 1970 was a period of far more anxiety and worry for the Muslim nation. At that time such a movement began here that rose purely with the tenacity of making socialism the modus operandi of the country and not Islam. Though, all the previous rulers that came did not present any worthwhile service for the implementation of Nizam Mustafa (way of the Chosen One), and even if they took a step towards this direction it was with great dissatisfaction. However, this particular time-period brought within its embrace an uproarious and troublesome doomsday.

The pursuing of a referendum in the province of Sarhad was much dangerous as the Khan Brothers had great influence and power here and they were blind devotees of Gandhi. The Red Shirts movement was accepted here to such an extent that in every town and village of the Sarhad province, red flags were waving. If in this referendum the Muslim League was defeated then the dream of Pakistan would have become dispersed and diminished before any interpretation could be given. The bravery of the people who paved the way for the success of the Muslim community in Sarhad, without a doubt at the front of this group, you would clearly see the shining face of Khawaja Qamar al-Din.

When the movement began for the independence of India, the Congress was at the forefront whose leadership was in the hands of some prejudiced and narrow-minded Hindus. However, the deceit of the main Hindu leaders had allured many Muslims to their tune and to raise their same voice. Many Muslim scholars, leaders and the learned had become devotees of Indian nationality and stood side by side with the Hindu leaders. At that moment Qa’id A‘zam Muhammad ‘Ali Jinnah demanded the formation of Pakistan. Khawaja Qamar al-Din – through his light of firasat – perceived the truth of Qa’id A‘zam’s position whilst great intellectuals of that time could not decide whether the claim of Qa’id A‘zam had any acceptance or weight in it or not, or whether it is practicable or not. Khawaja Qamar al-Din, with firm resolve and certainty, announced his assistance and loyalty to Qa’id A‘zam in the struggle to acquire Pakistan. History testifies that this man of truth, whatever step he took he did not stop until he reached his desired destination and objective.

There was always plenty of baraka from Allah (most high) in the langarkhana at the Astana ‘aliya of Siyal Sharif. Day and night hundreds of guests were provided with meals. Khawaja Qamar al-Din never had the desire to accumulate wealth; whatever came was quickly spent. During the era of Yahya Khan, when the government had announced that by a certain date all five hundred rupee notes and all one hundred rupee notes must be returned in order to thwart and control the black market trade, everyone was suddenly worried and day and night frantically pursued the exchange of their notes. Respected Khawaja Qamar al-Din told me personally that at that time he only possessed eight anahs in his pocket and hence he was not worried in the least. The servants of Allah (most high) not only keep their hearts but also their pockets free and pure from wealth.

Whenever a religious or national movement rose in the country and a need for personal and financial sacrifice was felt, this servant of Allah (most high) attributed with all his pure and unconditional devotion was always seen at the forefront. His struggle was not limited to merely a physical one but through the medium of his tongue and pen, he remained preoccupied throughout his life in raising high the banner of truth. If falsity raised its head in any form and in any corner of the state, the valor of Khawaja Qamar al-Din fell heavily upon it.

During the British era, a wave of tribulations flooded the land. Somewhere pseudo-missionaries of Christianity pelted the veracity of Islam with their arrows of taunt and insult. Somewhere the mischief of rejecting the finality of prophet hood (inkar Khatm al-Nubuwwat) occurred, and in someplace else rambles of those insulting the status of prophet hood cropped up. Somewhere organized conspiracies of disrespect towards the Prophetic Companions (sahaba) transpired, and in someplace else impudence towards the greatness and dignity of the respected Prophetic Household (ahl al-bayt) ensued. In short, this beloved servant of the chosen Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) of Allah (most high) fought with all. He put up a bold front and with the help of Allah (most high) forced all to experience a divulging defeat.